Possibilities
by Laura Kaye
Summary: The war is over; life goes on, and the world is still filled with magic.


"Don't put yourself out on my account," Hermione said in a faux-injured tone. "Run about all you like. I'll be just fine here."  
  
"We want to stay here with you, Hermione," Harry said, his eyes wide and sincere. Ron tried to swallow a snort and went into a coughing fit.  
  
"You're ruining the effect," Harry complained.  
  
Hermione smiled and rolled her eyes. "Go down to the lake with the others," she said. "I'm fine here, honestly. I may take a nap too."  
  
Ron sat up from where he'd collapsed onto the grass in the aftermath of his spasms. "Is everything all right?" He reached towards her and then let his hand fall. "You're not ill or anything..."  
  
"Honestly, Ron, you'd think I was the first witch in England to have a baby." She poked his arm with a long forefinger. "I'm perfectly_ fine,_ I'm just a bit tired. _Someone_ slept through his turn last night."  
  
Ron ducked his head sheepishly. "I'm sorry, Hermione, I don't know how I missed him crying."  
  
Harry grinned. "Don't worry, mate, you'll pay for it later."  
  
Ron chuckled and looked down at the sleeping child in Hermione's arms, brushing a tuft of unruly copper hair away from his forehead. The tiny face twitched, and Ron jerked his hand away, murmuring, "Sorry, sorry!"  
  
"You _will_ be, if you wake him up," Hermione said quietly. "You two go play with Ginny and Lil, all right? Frolic in the sand or something."  
  
"Just yell if you need anything," Ron insisted, clambering to his feet.  
  
"Or," Hermione said drily, "I could pick up my wand and summon it myself."  
  
"There is that," said Harry, his eyes dancing. He kissed her swiftly and took Ron's hand, not letting it go after Ron pulled him to his feet. "Enjoy the sunshine, love," he said. "I don't think you've been properly outside in a month."  
  
They walked hand-in-hand towards the lakeshore. Hermione smiled after them, and then shifted the child in her arms, slowly turning to lay him beside her on the makeshift pallet they'd made from their robes. She stretched out, keeping an arm protectively around her son, and let the heat of the sun sink into her bones. The happy noises from the lakeshore faded into the background, and she let herself doze.  
  
"Mummy!_ Mummy!"_  
  
She woke with a jolt, one hand reaching immediately for her wand as she hunched protectively over the baby beside her, who woke at the sudden motion and started to cry. "What? Lily! Where are you?" She looked around frantically, her heart racing.  
  
"It's all right, Hermione!" Ron dropped to the ground beside her, laying a big hand soothingly on her back. "Lil just got excited, is all. She's fine, everyone's fine."  
  
She let her wand hand fall, exhaled a shaky breath. "God, the reflexes never leave, do they?"  
  
Ron grinned ruefully, reaching for the squalling baby. "Guess not. Here, Charlie, come see dad. It's all right, your mum was just a bit startled. Nothing scary's happening." He bounced the baby a little, making soothing noises, and the child soon quieted.  
  
Hermione looked up at her daughter, who was standing before her sheepishly, curling bare toes in the grass. "I'm sorry, Mummy," she said. "I didn't mean to wake the baby up." She met her mother's eyes with a guileless look that was far too familiar.  
  
"I forgive you," Hermione said. "But you need to remember to be more careful about when you scream. Remember the story of the boy who cried wolf?"  
  
Lily nodded enthusiastically. The moving pictures in that storybook were exceptionally realistic.  
  
"Mummy's right," said Harry, kneeling down. "It's important to save some things for when you really need them." He tugged on a curl. "Now tell Mummy what you wanted to tell her, pixie."  
  
Her face brightened. "Aunt Ginny made me a boat out of a stick with her wand!" she said. "And Daddy and Papa made it go and it raced the ducks and it _beated_ them, Mummy!"  
  
"Your boat beat the ducks?" Hermione raised an eyebrow at Harry, who grinned sheepishly. "That _does_ sound exciting, love. What did the ducks have to say about it?"  
  
"They sounded mad," Lily confided, "but I think they're just _mortified."_ She sat down with a proud smile.  
  
Ron looked at her, startled. "That's a big word, Lil. Where did you learn it?" Hermione and Harry exchanged amused glances.  
  
"Uncle Snape taught it to me," she said airily. "I went down to see him and Uncle Sirius was there and they were yelling again, and they used lots of words I don't know, so I waited until they were done and then I asked them."  
  
Ron choked. Harry had turned his back on his daughter and was shaking with silent laughter; Hermione bit the tip of her tongue and concentrated very hard on spreading an extra layer of Sunburn Prevention Potion on baby Charlie's dimpled legs.  
  
"Did you learn any _other_ new words in the dungeons this morning?" Ron asked in a strangled tone.  
  
"No," she said. "Just that one. They wouldn't _explain _any of the others."  
  
"That was probably for the best," Harry murmured. "Poor Sirius, he must have had the shock of his life when he realized she was there." Hermione nodded, picturing his face with amusement.  
  
"Well, then," she said. "You_ have _had an eventful morning. Is it time for sandwiches, do you think?"  
  
"Oh, yes, Mummy!"  
  
"Go fetch Aunt Ginny, then, and Daddy will set out the hamper."  
  
Ron looked up. "I will?"  
  
She raised an eyebrow. "Yes."  
  
"All right then. Here, let Harry have the baby and come help me, I can't set things up as nicely as you."  
  
She handed the baby to Harry, and let Ron pull her to her feet. A ripple of emotion crossed Harry's face as he looked down into Charlie's eyes, eyes the same vivid green as his own beneath a shock of thick red hair. Ron slipped an arm round Hermione's waist and they looked down at the pair for a moment in silence before walking to where the hamper had been left, charmed to repel insects and ducks.  
  
"How do you think it really happened?" Ron asked. "I mean, I know Harry's mum had red hair, but _he_ obviously didn't. Can it skip a generation?"  
  
"I don't know," Hermione said. "I've seen pictures of her and her hair was really more of an auburn. Charlie's is much brighter." She looked at him with level eyes. "Like a Weasley."  
  
"It isn't possible, though," Ron said. "Even in the wizarding world."  
  
"I don't know," she said. "Maybe. But it just seems that a lot of impossible people are walking around every day." She looked back, seeing two tousled dark heads bending over a tiny bright one. "Maybe," she said, picking up the hamper, "it's magic."  
  
(end) 


End file.
